Wasn't sure if I should post here, or make a new thread. But first i'll try here, as it is related (or at least, very near the sentence already asked about).

After the part of the sentence: "Itaque is fessus non est et laetus cantat:"

which I understand, there is a line which throws me:

"Non via longa est Romam, ubi amica habitat mea pulchra."

I can't work this one out.

Would I be correct in saying they use the form 'Romam' because it is 'to Rome' ? So, first they say, "It is not a long way to Rome,"

and the rest, "ubi amica habitat mea pulchra"

would mean maybe something like "where lives my lovely friend".

Except, .... the word order is all over the place... how do I look at this ? I mean, if I were to take notice of word order alone (which I know I can't do) I see "mea pulchra" and I think it looks like "my beautiful" It is useless at this stage for me to go on speculating, because there is something about this sentence which I just don't understand...

Would I be correct in saying they use the form 'Romam' because it is 'to Rome' ? So, first they say, "It is not a long way to Rome,"

and the rest, "ubi amica habitat mea pulchra"

would mean maybe something like "where lives my lovely friend".

You've grasped it.

"It is is not a long road to Rome, where my beautiful friend lives."

Accusative forms of cities are used for direction to the city--no need for "ad". Similarly, if you see it in the ablative, that means "away from" the city.

The word order is mixed around, but always remember that word order in Latin doesn't determine grammatical function. "habitat" slipped in between "amica mea pulchra," but the words are still nominative singular feminine case--the adjectives still go with the nominative.

The subject still goes with the verb. The more you see this kind of thing, the easier it will get. Latin writers mostly use word order for emphasis and rhetorical reasons. Adding "mea pulchra" on the end is sort of a pleasant surprise, perhaps something like saying "that's where a friend lives... my beautiful one!"

It is significant that this particular line is sung. It is a line of poetry, not prose, and so its word order is partly determined by the rules of its meter, hexameter. In poetry it is very common, indeed so common that you might call it typical of poetic style, for a noun and its adjective (or adjectives) to be separated. Sometimes, as here, it is by a single word, but surprisingly often it is the entire remainder of the line of verse that intervenes, as in Martial I.iii: Aetherias, lascive, cupis volitare per auras, You want, impudent one, to fly about through the lofty heavens.

You guys are great! I really appreciate your help. It will still take a little bit to shake my up-bringing with English, with word order being key. But i'll get there. I look forward to it feeling more natural than it currently does. More reading is the key, as you say!

Craig_Thomas wrote:but surprisingly often it is the entire remainder of the line of verse that intervenes, as in Martial I.iii: Aetherias, lascive, cupis volitare per auras, You want, impudent one, to fly about through the lofty heavens.

And sometimes an adjective starts one line and the noun doesn't come until all the way at the end of the next line. It can make one's head spin.